Improved tank for petroleum



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

M. C. C. CHURCH, OF PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, AND EDWARD H. KNIGHT, OFWASHINGTON, D. C.

IMPROVED TANK'FOR PETROLEUM, 80C.

l Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,866. datedSeptember 11, 1866.

To all 'whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, MARIUs U. G. CHURCH,

of Parkersburg, in the county of Wood and State of West Virginia. andEDWARD H.

KNIGEL of Washington, in the county of through the tank. Fig. 2 is asimilar section of a modied arrangement of the airch amber.

Our improvement consists of a tank provided witha chamber to receive theoveriiow due to the expansion of the oil on increase of its temperature,the oil thus overtlowed being returned to the chamber as the volumetherein contracts.

On the expansion of the oil with which the main chamber is iilled itoveriows into the air-chamber, the connection between the two being by apipe whose open ends are beneath the surface of the oil in therespective chambers, so that a portion of the oil, being driven byexpansion from the main chamber into the air-chamber, is returned bycontraction into the main chamber without admitting air thereinto.

The object of the invention is to keep the l main chamber constantlyfull of the liquid, and to give the latter a place wherein to expand orcontract.

In the drawings we have represented the tank as of a cylindrical shape,the ends being bulged outwardly. A is the main or oil chamber of thetank, and B an air-chamber, di-

vided t'rom A by a diaphragm or partition. The connection between thetwo is by means of a pipe, C, whose open ends arenear the bottoms of therespective chambers, so that when the tank A is filled and a portion ofliquid in the chamber B both ends of the pipe C shall be submerged inliquid.

D is t-he inlet-aperture of the chamber A,

and E the discharge, both or either being provided With faucets. F is aman-hole to afford an entrance, as occasion may require, for cleaningout the tank. G is the disch arge-aperture ofl chamber B, and H asafety-valve on the latter to allow the air or gas to escape if theinternal pressure becomes extreme.

In Fig. l the air-chamber is situated at the end of the tank, and inFig.2 it is in the center, consisting in the latterof an upright cyl'-inder, whose upper head being depressed beloW the upper surface of thetank permits the safety-valve to be protected within the recess thusformed.

Projecting rings or re-entbrcebands H.' H encircling the tank maybeadded to permit the tank to be rolled without striking the parts D E FGr H or the bendof the pipe C in cases Where it projects beyond theoutside of the cylinder.

The bend of the pipe C may have a faucet, I, so as to close theconnection between the chambers A B while the tank is being rolled overand over. This tank may be of anyr shape or size, and is only showncylindrical, as that is necessarily a favorite shape from the facilityof its construction, the economy of material, and strength of thecompleted tank.

Thisimproved tank is designed for the transportation ot'oil or otherliquids byland or water or for storage of the same, the provision of thechamber B permitting the tank to be placed under varying circumstancesas to temperat-ure Without injury.

To avoid the danger of collapse of the vessel under possible conditionof the contraction ofthe bulk of its contents, a valve may be soarranged as to open inwardly under a certain amount of externalpressure, and permit the entrance of air into the chamber B.

In charging the tank with oil or other duid it is introduced at theinlet-opening D until the chamber A is full. It may then be overilowedinto the chamber B through pipe C until the outlet of the said pipe inchamber B is sufficiently submerged to make sure that under allcircumstances of expansion or contraction of the fluid or motion of thecar or vessel the opening of the pipe into the chamber B shall not beexposed to the air in said chamber.

lThe flow ot' the liquid through the pipe C 4may be gaged or observed,or a sufficient quantity may be separately introduced into chamber B;but we prefer to overiow into chamber B from chamber A, as by thaatmeans the pipe C becomes filled with liquid, and no air will reachchamber A. rlhe tank being thus sut'ticiently charged with oil, if it isto be moved in such a manner as to upset it, the faucet I is closeduntil the tank is disposed in an upright position in the required place,When the faucet is opened.

On shipboard, where the verticality of the tank may be seriouslydisturbed, a vessel may be placed inside of the chamber B around theopen month of the tube C, so as to prevent the liquid from beingWithdrawn therefrom by the careening, rolling, or pitching of the ship.

The expansion ofthe iiuid in A, as has been said, will drive a portionthrough pipe C into chamber B, and a subsequent contraction Will returnit to A, the air, by the said expansion, being condensed in B, andexpanding again as the liquid, by contraction, resumes its place inchamber A.

The tank may be made of such a size as to form a sufficient load for arailroad-car, or it may be made smaller, so as to be readily handled, asis usual With barrels, &c. The conditions ive have endeavored to secureare not limited by questions of size or adaptation for transportation orstorage, but consist in enablin g the main chamber of the tank to bekept full, relieving itself into the other chamber under expansion ofthe iiuid, and supplying itself with fluid, from said auxiliary chamberunder circumstances of contraction or leakage in the main chamber.

gage of quantity both for commercial and intermal-revenue purposes.

rlhe legs of the pipe C, which extend into the chambers B A, if themeans ot' communication be lett open, will act as a Siphon to dischargethe greater part of the liquid contents ot' B when A is emptied by theusual mean'sv-to Wit, the opening E.

The tank is sometimes charged with iuid at a higher temperature than thesurrounding atmosphere, and by placing a sufficient amount in thesmaller chamber provision is made for the contraction ot' the iiuid inthe larger compartment, which receives tluid from the'smaller as itscontents contract. Thus the smaller chamber receives the surplus on theexpansion ot' the oil and renders a supply on its contraction, keepingthe larger chamber full.

Having described our invention, What We claim as new therein, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

A tank for the transportation or storage of petroleum or other liquids,provided with an auxiliary chamber and connecting-pipe, operatingsubstantially as described.

To the above specification of our improvements in petroleum-tanks Wehave signed our hands this 21st of August, 1866.

MARIUs c. c. CHURCH. EDWARD H. KNIGHT.-

Witnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMON, Oc'rAvrUs KNIGHT.

